Ex-KU safety Bradley McDougald a key part of blockbuster NFL trade

By Matt Tait     Jul 26, 2020

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Kansas safety Bradley McDougald takes off up the field after an interception in the third quarter against South Dakota State, Saturday, September 1, 2012 at Memorial Stadium.

After three seasons as a star in the Seattle Seahawks secondary, former University of Kansas safety Bradley McDougald is headed to the Big Apple.

McDougald was part of this weekend’s trade between Seattle and the New York Jets that sent former 2017 first-round pick Jamal Adams and a fourth-round pick to Seattle in exchange for McDougald, two future first-round picks and a third-round pick.

It’s no secret that McDougald loved his time in Seattle. His bond with the fan base was evident throughout each season, and he played with joy while representing a defense that had come to be known as the Legion of Boom in the years prior to his arrival.

McDougald shared those emotions with a heartfelt goodbye on Twitter after the trade became official.

“From the bottom of my heart I’d like to thank to @Seahawks and the whole 12 fan base for not only giving me the opportunity but accepting me and making my time there memorable,” McDougald wrote. “Thank you for believing in me and allowing me to show my talents. Luv4eva #BM30”

The Seahawks’ social media department returned the favor on the same day, thanking McDougald for his service to the organization with the words, “A difference maker on the field and in the community over the last three years. Thank you,” above a triumphant photo of McDougald during his days in Seattle.

While the former KU wide-receiver-turned-safety leaves behind a place where he started 39 games over the last three seasons, McDougald is headed to a city that features one of the brightest stages in all of sports.

While the Jets have not won more than seven games in a season since 2015, McDougald does not appear to be turned off by the prospect of playing in New York.

He fired off two Tweets hyping up his arrival later Saturday evening.

The first featured the Jets signature rally cry of “J-E-T-S,” with the words “#BM30 coming soon” attached to it.

The second came in response to a welcome-to-New-York video put out by the Jets that simply read, “BM30 to the Big Apple”

After signing a free agent contract with Kansas City in 2013 following the end of his KU career, McDougald was claimed by Tampa Bay off waivers and went on to play three full seasons with the Buccaneers, starting 36 games in that span and laying the foundation for his career in Seattle, which featured him signing a three-year deal with $14 million in 2018.

After starting his Kansas career at wide receiver, McDougald switched over to defense, where he recorded seven interceptions and 203 tackles from 2009-12.

The Dublin, Ohio, native appeared in all 48 games of his KU career.

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Written By Matt Tait

A native of Colorado, Matt moved to Lawrence in 1988 and has been in town ever since. He graduated from Lawrence High in 1996 and the University of Kansas in 2000 with a degree in Journalism. After covering KU sports for the University Daily Kansan and Rivals.com, Matt joined the World Company (and later Ogden Publications) in 2001 and has held several positions with the paper and KUsports.com in the past 20+ years. He became the Journal-World Sports Editor in 2018. Throughout his career, Matt has won several local and national awards from both the Associated Press Sports Editors and the Kansas Press Association. In 2021, he was named the Kansas Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. Matt lives in Lawrence with his wife, Allison, and two daughters, Kate and Molly. When he's not covering KU sports, he likes to spend his time playing basketball and golf, listening to and writing music and traveling the world with friends and family.